Bokalchuk Reaction

The Bokalchuka reaction, also known as the Bokalchuka test, is one of the methods for determining the content of iron ions in a solution. This method was developed by Russian chemist Mikhail Bokalchuk and named after him.

The essence of the reaction is that when a solution containing iron ions is added to a solution of mercury(II) nitrate, a red precipitate of mercury(I) oxide is formed. The color intensity of the precipitate is proportional to the concentration of iron ions in the original solution.

To carry out the reaction, it is necessary to mix equal volumes of a solution of iron(III) nitrate and mercury(II) nitrate. Then the solution should be heated in a water bath until the formed precipitate is completely dissolved. The resulting solution must be cooled and a sodium chloride solution added to it to precipitate mercury oxide.

The Bokalchuk reaction is widely used in analytical chemistry to determine the iron content in various objects, such as water, soil, blood and other biological fluids. It can also be used to control the quality of foods and beverages containing iron.

Despite its simplicity and accessibility, the glass reaction has some limitations. For example, it may give false results in the presence of other metal ions such as copper, zinc and manganese. In addition, the reaction requires the use of high-purity reagents and strict experimental conditions.

In general, the bokalchuk reaction can be considered a reliable and effective method for determining the content of iron ions. However, to obtain accurate results, it is necessary to comply with all reaction conditions and use high-quality reagents.